After Chintan Shivir, Gandhi family is in firm control--with some concessions to rank and file

After the three-day Chintan Shivir of the Congress in Udaipur, there is just one conclusion. Sonia Gandhi, and her children, Rahul and Priyanka, are in firm control of their establishment. Their idea of how to run the party remains unassailed.

In turn, they have accorded some concessions in the nature of organisational business--without disturbing their standing and hold on the party apparatus.

Rahul Gandhi will return to be at the helm and retake charge from his mother as Congress chief -- as and when he is in a mood to do so. If all goes well, he may be back as early as August.

Priyanka won't step into his shoes even as a stop-gap arrangement let alone being an alternative choice-- if even many Congressmen and women won't mind her leadership. That is in the event of Rahul taking a longer time to end his reluctance to take formal charge of the party

As for a broader coalition of all anti-BJP parties including key regional parties in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won't cede space as the principal opposition party.

Sharad Pawar of National Congress Party, Mamata Banerjee of Trinamool Congress, K Chandrasekhar Rao of Telangana Rashtra Samithi, M K Stalin of DMK and Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena will need to accept the Congress "as is where is" condition--if they ever dream of ejecting the BJP from the centre.

Of course, Congress will remain politically sagacious to keep its doors open for alliances wherever necessary in the states where it stands to lose completely.

None of these conclusions needed a Udaipur conclave of this kind for endorsement or enforcement. But if anyone had any doubt regarding them, they stand fully cleared. Beyond these conclusions, there is not much to offer.

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, by their speeches and interventions during and at the end of the conclave, underscored their own resolve to let the Congress run the way they think is best.

If the compelling circumstances raise questions about their abilities and skill to take on the big BJP, the Gandhi family and her aides are not bothered too much.

Of course, they wish not to appear to ride roughshod over internal dissensions. That's why they have offered concessions in terms of organisational response to the challenges faced by the Congress ahead.

These may appear largely cosmetic and won't involve changes that will upset anyone established section within the party. The reason: there are riders for every reform proposed.

Also, that explains why the demands of the G-23 group of dissident leaders, particularly on reviving the Parliamentary Board mechanism, were taken seriously.

Well, veteran leaders, who will be soon out of the CWC in any case because of the entry of youth leaders, can at best hope for a berth in an advisory group. Sonia will select the group’s members. But, as she warned, the group won't be a “collective decision-making body.” At best, it may be akin to the BJP’s margdarshak mandal.

Many of the suggestions for changes seemed like the ones proposed by election strategist Prashant Kishor, who had failed the test to be inducted into any top slot.

But his ideas that did not disturb the hegemony of the established power play (within the party) found acceptance by the Gandhi family and, consequently, of the gathered leaders at the Udaipur conclave.

Clearly, the close aides of the Gandhi family ensured such alterations gave ample room for Sonia to finally declare, “We will overcome. That is our determination. That is our Nav Sankalp (new resolve). The Congress will have a new uday (rising). That is our Nav Sankalp.”

For the loyalists, the good news is that the party has set a timeline to fill all vacancies within a maximum of 120 days and 50% posts would go to those below 50 years of age. No one can occupy any post for more than five years.

‘One Family One Ticket’ norm would be applicable but subject to suitable riders.

If any member of the same family has worked for the party for at least five years, they can be given a ticket to contest parliamentary or assembly elections.

It means that nobody can stop Priyanka Vadra to contest even if Rahul Gandhi gets a ticket in 2024.

As for appearing to be in a more active mode than hitherto, the Congress will connect with the people with new departments and agitate on the streets.

However, clarity on its stand on several issues remains as foggy as ever. The voices that sought to engage the top leadership on the issues like Jammu and Kashmir, secularism, dialogue with religious groups to end its pro-minorities stand and isolation on economic issues did not find favour. They were drowned by those who favoured the status quo. This is despite many Congress leaders viewing that these issues are not solved by a Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.